Embrace of the Unknown
by io-canto
Summary: Where am I…I'm staring out at a vast ocean and it's a sight to behold but when I leave, how will I remember where this is? The last thing I remember is…nothing really. Where do I go? What do I do?
1. The Boy on the Cliff

This is the second fanfic I've ever done and I'm not even done with the first one so I'm not that experienced. I hope you'll like the following story and I don't plan to take too long to update the chapters that follow.

I always see some sort of disclaimer up here so I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi.

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_Where am I…I'm staring out at a vast ocean and it's a sight to behold but when I leave, how will I remember where this is? The last thing I remember is…nothing really. I know how to speak and common terms of everyday language…there's a word for this. Amnesia. This isn't good. This place is completely unfamiliar. Sorry, I should introduce myself. My name is…I don't even remember. Well, let's begin this tale, though we don't know where it'll take us._

The boy on the cliff turned around and was shocked at what he saw. It was nothing but a barren wasteland. Nothing but rock and burn marks that scorched the landscape. He may as well have encountered the remains of a war or a battle between supernatural beings. He found the strength to move his feet and began exploring the wasteland. He walked many miles before finding something promising, the beginning of a forest. He sighed with relief and ran through the grassy haven. He felt power in each of his strides and looked down at his body. He could see that he had power inside of him, but he knew it was insignificant to power he had seen. Where had he seen this great power? He could not remember and so focused on where he was going.

The boy stopped for a while to behold what he was running through. It was truly awing and a wonderful sight. He sat down by a tree to gather his thoughts when all of a sudden he heard a rustle. He sat up and took a fighting position immediately. What came next was humming. He let his stance relax and began to walk towards the source of the humming. He saw a somewhat round old man with a long beard and longer hair wearing green clothing. The old man turned to face the boy and looked him in the eye. He'd seen those eyes before, but on a different face. These eyes were kind and wise but very powerful. They were the power he had seen before but could not recall.

"Hello," he broke the silence with while giving a large smile. "It is rare to see a young boy exploring the forest this deep."

"Hello. I'm not necessarily exploring but trying to figure out where I am," he said. The man began to stroke his beard, "Lost, are you?" The boy nodded and said "That and more. I seem to have forgotten myself."

"Is that speaking figuratively or literally?"

"Literally," the boy replied. "I think I have amnesia."

"Amnesia!" the old man said. "Well, that's not good. Come with me back to my home and we can figure something out, all right? It's a long walk but I'm sure you'll be fine. You seem strong for your age." The boy followed him through the intricate maze of the forest while getting to know his host better.

"So what were you doing here in this forest alone?" he inquired. "Gathering plants. There are very special flowers here excellent for tea! And I was visiting an old memory."

"An old memory? In this forest?"

"No, near the forest. It is a memory of happiness but also a memory of strife. It isn't very pleasant but it is a memory for the world to behold."

"I didn't see anything. All I've seen was this forest, the sea, and that barren wasteland."

"That's the one."

"What? The barren wasteland?" The old man sighed a deep, melancholic sigh and said, "Yes. It is what remains of the war. I suppose you don't remember, since you have amnesia, but there was a century-long war striving that ended a year ago. It began in the Fire Nation with Fire Lord Souzin and finally ended with Fire Lord Ozai's defeat. It was a long war and very difficult for the world, especially for my companions and me." His grin gradually became a frown marked with hurt. "Ozai was my brother and it was difficult seeing him taking a wrong turn after a wrong turn time and time again without being able to do anything. It was even more difficult seeing my niece corrupted by his greed for power, by his lack of trust in people. She was such a beautiful girl but now she's spending the rest of her days recovering from a mental breakdown…the war has put so many people through so much."

"I'm very sorry," the boy replied. He could feel the sorrow in the old man's voice and could not help but feel helpless to his kind host. "No, I'm sorry," he replied, his big smile back again. "I should not have bothered you with the past of an old man who is very happy now! Let us get going for we have a long walk ahead of us. Oh! That's right, I haven't introduced myself! How rude of me." He stopped, turned, and held out his hand to the boy next to him and said, "Nice to meet you. My name is Iroh. I don't suppose you know your name."

The boy stared at the hand in front of him thinking of what the man had said. He took his hand and said with a smile, "Kenichi."

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Thank you for reading and don't hesitate to review. If there's something I can work on please tell me. Thank you!


	2. Ba Sing Se

Hooray! Chapter 2 is up!...for the few people actually reading this to enjoy...haha well it's not like Avatar and Kenichi crossovers are common so who cares? Anywho. Enjoy please. School and theatre makes me busy but I promise you that this story will get so damn interesting it's not even funny. :D

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"Kenichi," said Iroh. "That's a wonderful name! Though I've never heard another like it before."

"Thank you," Kenichi responded. "Wait. A while ago I couldn't remember my name. Now all of a sudden I can!"

"That's great! Your memories are starting to come back to you. Or at least _a_ memory," Iroh chuckled. Kenichi smiled and noticed that Iroh was carrying a rather large basket of flowers. "Let me help you with that," offered Kenichi. "Oh no," said Iroh. "Don't bother yourself. I may be old but I am not weak."

"But still," Kenichi said. "It would be rude of me." Iroh smiled and said, "You are a kind boy with a pure heart. Since you want to help so much, help me pick a special type of flower." Iroh began to describe the flower to Kenichi and they walked a few more miles before Kenichi spotted the first flower. "I found one!" said Kenichi as he brought it back to Iroh to put in a second basket he had brought. "Well done!" said Iroh. "You spotted that flower from a relatively long distance. Either you have pretty good eyesight or I'm getting old."

Kenichi chuckled at this. "I'll go look for some more." In the span of about five minutes, Kenichi had found enough to fill the basket. "You are very quick!" Iroh commented. Kenichi smiled at him and took the basket from the old man's arms. They walked a few more miles before Kenichi and Iroh came across a giant slab of rock that seemed to caress the sky. "Iroh-san," Kenichi said, "what is this piece of rock?" Iroh chuckled. "Kenichi," that is no piece of rock. Well, it is, but it is also the outer wall of the great city of Ba Sing Se. I own a teashop here. I hope you will accept my hospitality," he said.

"I would be honored to stay with you, Iroh-san," bowed Kenichi. Iroh smiled and guided Kenichi eastward along the wall. They came across what seemed to be the entrance to the great city and walked up to the guards. "Iroh-san," both guards said as they bowed. "Please, please, there is no need to bow. It embarrasses me," Iroh laughed.

"How is your teashop?" one of the guards asked. "It is very busy," he chuckled. "But very nice too. I am happy it is popular."

"I'll be stopping there this evening with my wife," the other said. "Ah, Mei Li. How is she? Is she well?"

"Yes, Iroh-san. She has one more month to go."

"One month! You're almost a father! We will have to celebrate!"

"Thank you, Iroh-san. Have a good day!" the guards said as Iroh and Kenichi entered Ba Sing Se. "I know them because I venture out to the forest constantly to gather herbs and flowers for my teashop and have established a friendly relationship with the guards," Iroh-san told him, reading Kenichi's mind. The two boarded a train to the city itself, since the outer part was farmland and vegetation. Once inside the city, Kenichi marveled at the grand size of it. There were houses everywhere and people flowing through the streets between them.

"It's huge," he said as he marveled at the city. "It is, isn't it? It's a very nice place to live now that we are in peaceful times. During the war, a man named Long Feng used his spies, the Dai Li, to control the city and the king. It was a city of secrets and lies. But that has changed now and the city is peaceful." Iroh told him. Kenichi listened intently.

"Iroh-san, why didn't we stop at the entrance of the inner wall back there?"

"There are three major stops in this city. Before, the city was separated into three rings: the Lower Ring, the Middle Ring, and the Upper Ring. It was a very separated city measured in wealth. Fortunately, it is becoming more equal. The walls have been demolished. Our destination is the center of the city. Just as he said that, Kenichi saw the houses and buildings become much finer and wealthier. He could tell that they were nearing their destination.

"The train stopped and Iroh beckoned for Kenichi to follow him out of the train. Kenichi walked out and saw the magnificence of Ba Sing Se up close. He noticed the fine quality of the houses and the clothing of the citizens of the great city. Kenichi followed Iroh to a big house with a sign on it. What was on the sign was obviously foreign to him and he couldn't read it. "What does that say?" asked Kenichi. "You can't read? No matter," said Iroh. "It says 'The Jasmine Dragon' and it is the name of my teashop, the best in all of Ba Sing Se!"

Kenichi walked in and marveled at the beauty the shop possessed. The furniture was made of fine wood and cloth, the teacups made humbly but with a certain magnificence to them, and the air held a scent of wisdom and majesty. He watched the sun leak in through the windows and give the shop a series of complex shades. "This is a beautiful place," Kenichi commented. "Thank you, I appreciate it," Iroh smiled. "Now come I want you to meet someone." He walked forward a few steps and shouted, "Zuko! Come out here! We have a guest!"

Kenichi watched as a shape emerged from the door Iroh was facing. What came out was a young boy, around seventeen or so, with coffee brown hair and golden eyes. On the left side of his face, he had a scar on the left side of his face that seemed to have come from a fire wound. He had an air around him that seemed to hint greatness, like Iroh-san. "Who is this, Uncle?" he asked. "I found this young man in the woods on my trip. His name is Kenichi but that's all he remembers."

Zuko threw a confused look at Kenichi. "Amnesia?" he asked. Iroh nodded. "I will take care of him however much I can," Iroh said. "Can you help me during your stay?"

"Of course, Uncle."

"Thank you," Kenichi bowed to the both of them. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed at his helplessness. "That's a weird bow," Zuko said. "I've only seen two types of bowing." He proceeded to demonstrate them. He first bowed, putting a fist into a completely open palm and then putting the fist beneath the open hand. "Eh? Well I suppose it's a custom from where I'm from, wherever that may be," Kenichi replied.

"Well, we can't have you walking around, not knowing anything about where this place. We will teach you. But first, you might want to rest. It's getting late. Zuko, he can sleep in your room." Zuko escorted Kenichi upstairs and showed him into a room with two beds. He gave him a change of clothes to sleep in and told him that they would get everything straightened out in the morning. Kenichi changed and, as soon as he got comfortable underneath the sheets, fell asleep.

The next morning Kenichi woke up to the smell of herbs. It caressed his nose until he became aware of his surroundings. He got up out of his bed and walked towards the source of the aroma. He found Zuko preparing tea. Zuko looked up and smiled at him. "You're awake," he said. "How do you feel?"

"Good," Kenichi replied. "I feel like I have a lot more energy."

"That's great," Kenichi heard someone say. He turned around and saw Iroh with his wise grin on his face. "However, let's not use up all that energy. We're going to teach you about the world, for it is dangerous for a young man to be ignorant of it."

"And we need to get you whatever you need, since you'll be staying with Uncle," Zuko added. "Your clothes were pretty weird so you'll need some new clothes." Now that Zuko had mentioned it, his clothing from yesterday _did _seem out of place. The white robe-like garment over chain mail, black pants and bandages on both his hands and feet. He felt very out of place dressed like that. Zuko lent him a brown shirt and pair of pants along with green robe with gold lining to wear over it. He also gave him a brown cloth to tie around the waist and brown shoes.

"Are you going to keep wearing that chain vest?" Zuko asked. "It's called chainmail, and yes I am. For some reason, it makes me feel safe…like someone's watching over me…" replied Kenichi.

Zuko escorted Kenichi out of the shop and took him to the market to buy typical clothing for him. Kenichi could not believe the luxurious styles and material used for clothes. "Zuko," he said. "I can't wear this. This is too nice, too…rich!"

"If you want to fit in, you'll need to wear this."

"But I'm not comfortable with it. It looks expensive and I don't want you to buy me something so–"

"If it's a question of money, I have plenty of it. Most of these clothes are for showoffs anyways. We just need to find a plainer vendor, that's all." Kenichi nodded and followed him. He couldn't help thinking what a strange character Zuko was. He was slightly intimidating but made Kenichi feel at ease around him. He face showed him to be a man of serenity but his eyes showed him to be very emotional and troubled. Strangest of all, no matter how distant he seemed, Kenichi was sure he could get along with him very well…he was sure he know someone like that though…

"–is more plain, probably what you want…Kenichi, are you listening to me?" Kenichi looked up to see a very annoyed Zuko. "Woops! I spaced out!" he said nervously. Zuko smiled and said, "Come on Kenichi, pick something out so we can go home and have some tea."

After Kenichi's wardrobe was filled with the plainest clothing considered acceptable, Iroh began to teach Kenichi of the world. "You see, the world is divided into four cultures: The Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. You are in the Earth Kingdom right now. Ba Sing Se is the capital of the Earth Kingdom, which is why it's such a great city…"

For the next few hours Iroh and Zuko explained the geography of the world and the cultures of the different nations. "Wow!" explained Kenichi. "You're the Fire Lord!" Zuko turned a deep shade of red and said, "Yeah, it's nothing special."

"What are you talking about? You're the ruler of a whole nation and from what your uncle tells me, you're doing a really good job too!" Zuko sighed and merely continued Kenichi's education of the world. They explained the abilities of benders. "You mean really flexible people?" Kenichi inquired, earning himself a hit on the head from Zuko. "No! Benders are people who have the ability to "bend" or manipulate the elements."

"Really!" he asked. "Like the four elements of the nations?" Zuko nodded and resumed talking before being interrupted by Iroh. "Let me give a demonstration," he said holding out his hand. A small flame appeared in his hand and grew to the size of a melon. He then split the fireball into three and began to juggle them. Kenichi looked in amazement at the spectacle in front of his eyes. "All right Uncle, that's enough," Zuko said with an irritated scowl. Iroh stopped and smiled sheepishly at his nephew.

After explaining about the four different types of benders, the pair told Kenichi about the Avatar. "The Avatar is the only being in this world that can bend all four elements. He is responsible for retaining balance in the world and is a bridge between our world and the spirit world."

"Wow," commented Kenichi. "Sounds like a powerful person."

"He is," agreed Iroh while sipping a cup of his favorite Jasmine tea. "Very powerful indeed."

"But what happens if he dies?"

"I was just getting to that," said Iroh. He put his cup of tea down and looked at Kenichi. "When the Avatar dies, he or she is reborn into the next nation. The order is Fire, Air, Water, Earth and so on. Right now the avatar is an Air Nomad and the last one too."

"Last one?"

Zuko then interfered and began to unfold the events of the last few centuries, including the stories of Avatar Kyoshi, Avatar Roku, and the century-long that the last Airbender ended. "So, your father was going to destroy the world but was stopped by the Avatar?" Zuko nodded. "I'm ashamed of the sins of my ancestors but their sins aren't mine."

"In fact," interrupted Iroh., "Zuko here helped the Avatar save the world! He taught him firebending!" Kenichi's face lit up while Zuko underwent a face palm. "That's so cool! You're like a superhero, Zuko!" Zuko glared at him and said, "It's late. I think you've learned enough to get by in the world. We should get to sleep."

"What'd I say?" Kenichi asked Iroh as Zuko exited from the room. "He's just shy," he replied. "However, he's right, it _is _late. We've taught you enough for today. Tomorrow you can explore the city with Zuko." Kenichi nodded and then asked Iroh, "Wait a second. If he's the Fire Lord, shouldn't he get back to ruling the Fire Nation?"

"He's on vacation," Iroh smiled. "Oh," Kenichi said feeling stupid. After that, Kenichi went got ready to go to sleep and all the while though about his lessons with Iroh-san and Zuko. Soon enough, he was drifting off into sleep, wondering how nice it felt to live in such a peaceful place.

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Great! If you don't have a face of disgust on you right now, then I'm happy. Please review!


	3. Humility and Discoveries

Well school's back so things in this story are moving slowly. I do, however, have most of the plot planned out so the pace should be picking up if I have the time so good news for the few readers I have :D If you're wondering why the summary says the plot is centered on Azula, it's because I'm planning on using her further into this story and she will play a major part.

Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

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Kenichi groggily looked from the meal in front of him to Iroh-san, who was wearing the same wide grin he always had, back to the meal. "Well, eat up!" Iroh-san smiled. Zuko sighed and said, "Uncle, I told you to leave breakfast to me."

"I can't have my guests doing all the work, can I?" he replied cheerfully. "You also can't have your guests die from horrible cooking," he retorted. Iroh-san laughed heartily and said, "Ok, ok. You go out to get something to eat. While you're out, you can run some errands for me." He handed Zuko a list of items he needed. Zuko nodded, grabbed a much too sleepy Kenichi, and took him to the back yard.

"GAAAAAAAAH!" yelled Kenichi when Zuko splashed icy water all over his face. He had been in a dream state, unaware of his surroundings or of his actions. He noticed he was fully dressed in traditional and earthly Ba Sing Sean garments and was ready to go, save for the void in his stomach. "Now that you're awake, let's go get something to eat and run some errands for Uncle. Kenichi, still shivering, nodded and followed Zuko around the house and through the city. Kenichi still couldn't get enough of Ba Sing Se. Granted, he had only been there one day. But he still marveled at the wonderful culture the city held. The grand houses made of stone and marble decorated with gold were majestic. He saw frugal aristocrats in expensive clothing with faces that almost appeared like masks. He followed Zuko around alleyways and streets and the more they walked, Kenichi noticed, the less elaborate and rich their surroundings became. The buildings and people eventually became wooden and ragged and they reached a small humble restaurant in the former Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se. It was completely wooden with no stairs, pillars, or designs that would have indicated it to be a restaurant. "This doesn't look very promising," Kenichi complained. Zuko turned his head over his shoulder to look at him and said, "Don't judge a book by its cover."

Kenichi was glad to be wearing relatively humble clothing for he was sure they would have gotten mugged if they were wearing aristocratic clothing. The pair went inside and Kenichi absorbed what he saw into his mind. The furniture was wooden and some was clothed. The chairs had small cushions and the tables were bare. The walls had a few scrolls here and there and windows looking out into the city. They sat down while Kenichi wondered why the place seemed more attractive than the elaborate buildings of marble in the former Upper Ring. A waitress walked to them with a smile more genuine than any he had seen in the Upper Ring, save for Iroh-san's, and asked them what they would like to eat. Zuko ordered something he had never heard of in his life while Kenichi started to panic since he had no idea what the items on the menu were. The waitress giggled and recommended what Zuko had ordered for him. "It's quite good. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Kenichi sighed with relief and accepted her offer.

As she walked away, Kenichi was Zuko smirking at him. "Found something you like?" Kenichi blushed deeply while he waved his hands out trying to deny Zuko's accusation. He stopped as Zuko started laughing and eventually joined him. He was relieved to have a friend in this place unknown to him. The girl came back with each of their dishes while smiling at Kenichi the whole time. Kenichi blushed and looked down while Zuko chuckled. "Here you go. Enjoy," she said as she left. Kenichi focused on the plate in front of him. It was a plate of dumplings surrounding a medley of vegetables. On the table the girl had left a pitcher with a sauce in it that Zuko was pouring over his dish. Kenichi did the same when he was done and began to eat. As soon as he put it in his mouth he began to choke and spit the piece of dumpling out. Zuko looked at him inquisitively with one eyebrow raised waiting for Kenichi to calm down. As soon as he could speak, he told Zuko, "That's amazing!" Zuko burst out laughing and said, "So amazing you choked on it?" Kenichi blushed yet again and nodded his head.

As soon as they were finished with their meal and paying the bill, Zuko put his hand on Kenichi's shoulder and explained to him, "See, sometimes less is more. Simple is better. Sometimes things humble are better than those elaborate and eccentric. Kenichi thought back to before they entered the restaurant and took his point seriously. "Sorry, Zuko. I hadn't thought about that." Zuko simply smiled and said, "First we need to pick up some books for Uncle."

Kenichi and Zuko found themselves in a bookstore right across from a pet shop. While Zuko talked to the man behind the counter, Kenichi inched his way towards the cages with the animals in them. There were a variety of different species, from Tiger Seals to Winged Lemurs to even Platypus Bears. He was looking through the variety until he spotted a magnificent beast. It was a beautiful falcon with a beak that looked like it could break through steel and eyes that pierced through Kenichi's soul. It's crimson feathers adorned it's strong body majestically and hid its powerful wings beneath them. She was at least the size of a small house; big enough to carry two people. Kenichi was so absorbed in analyzing the creature that he didn't notice the man come up behind him.

"A beauty isn't she?" he asked as Kenichi jumped up literally twice his height. "No need to get frightened, I'm just the shopkeeper," he laughed. Kenichi laughed nervously. He was rather chubby and seemed dirty. He had on very dirty rags and a big smile. However, there was something about him that made Kenichi cautious. His smile seemed almost wicked and his eyes insincere. _Must be the charm of a dishonest salesman_, he thought to himself. "This is a very rare specimen," he told him. "A Phoenix Falcon, only found in remote islands near the Fire Nation; powerful and swift they are. Be careful though, she's hostile." Kenichi ignored the salesman's warning and gently moved his hand over to the bird's head. He could see the uneasiness in her eyes and, somehow, knew exactly what to do. He slowed his breath to match the falcon's without breaking eye contact and began to slowly move his hand again. His hand rested against the bird's beak and he gently stroked her face. He felt like he could get along with such a creature.

He didn't notice the awed cheat gaping at the sight. "Wh-Why, you're the first person she hasn't almost killed after coming close to her!" After stroking his chin for a few seconds he said, "Alright. It'll be 100 gold pieces for her".

"What?"

"You heard me. 100 gold pieces!"

"Oh, sorry. I don't have any money. I was just here to–"

"No money! You wasted my time for no money!" screamed the greedy man. "Why I'll have you strapped to the belly of a badgermole for 2 weeks to teach you a lesson! No good–" And while the angry cheat threatened Kenichi with each step he took, the Phoenix Falcon mustered up all her strength and burst out of its cage to protect the new friend she made and extract her revenge on the man responsible for her shackles. Her cry pierced the streets and caught the attention of the nearby people. She picked up Kenichi by his robe with her beak and began to fly off.

Zuko had walked out of the shop to see Kenichi be carried off by the beast. He immediately ran off after them screaming, "What the hell do you think you're doing!"

"I don't know!" he replied. "I think she likes me!"

Zuko smacked his forehead and kept the chase on. After a good ten minutes of running around the city, Zuko noticed the bird was starting to get tired. All of a sudden, replacing the bird was a poof of smoke and a steadily falling Kenichi. "Kenichi!" Zuko yelled out while he tried to get to him on time. By the time he got there, he saw Kenichi jump of roof tiles and wooden stands to spring himself into the air again, catch something, and fall down safely. Zuko stared in awe at the boy and asked, "Where did you learn to do that?" Kenichi shrugged and let Zuko see a small red bird in his arms. "Wait, Kenichi. That's a Phoenix Falcon."

"Yeah, that's what the guy said…and why did she shrink?"

"They shrink whenever they get tired or hungry. Not much is known about them but they are said to be mystical."

"Thanks for the lesson but we should get out of here," Kenichi said while he started to run away from the angry shop owner from earlier with some guards from the streets. Zuko sighed and followed Kenichi's lead. They ran between alleyways and streets and even jumped over a few walls before they found themselves in a arena-like clearing. Kenichi didn't even get a chance to speak before he sensed a threat. He pushed Zuko and shifted his stance just so he barely avoided a boulder flying his way. "Careful Kenichi! It's an earthbender and we're not supposed to be here." Kenichi looked could barely glance in his direction before avoiding another flying rock. He looked at the attacker and found a big plump man who slightly resembled an elephant wearing only what seemed to be a sumo's uniform. Kenichi could swear the stupidity emanating from the man was almost tangible.

"Who dares disturb my practice!" he bellowed. "Sorry," Kenichi bowed. "We didn't realize we were in your way. We'll be going now." He began to walk before being stopped by a sudden wall of rock rising out of the ground. He irritatingly listened to the man say, "No! I'm hungry and angry! You'll be perfect target practice!" Kenichi was just about to dash towards the man and immobilize him before he heard a familiar voice say, "Stop, Bei Li! Don't hurt innocent bystanders because you can't satisfy your fat stomach!"

Kenichi and Zuko turned to see the very same girl who waited on them at the restaurant. She was dressed in much more revealing clothing that seemed like a martial artist's or a warrior's attire. "You stupid pansy! Go back to your dolls while the real men fight," Bei Li rudely responded. Before she could act, he threw yet another boulder towards Kenichi. However, Kenichi had the intention of facing the challenge head on. He fixed his stance and prepared his arms and as soon as the boulder arrived, punched, intent on smashing the boulder to pieces. But what happened amazed everyone. The boulder, rather than being smashed was sent back to Bei Li. Not seeing it coming, he was sent flying by the surprise.

"Wow," the girl said. "I didn't know you were an earthbender. Maybe we can spar sometime." Kenichi was dumbstruck and didn't know what to say since he had no idea what had happened. The girl smiled and said, "I'm Tei Lao. I'd like to stay and chat but it looks like you've got to go." Kenichi looked behind him and saw the guards had caught up with him. Zuko took his arm hastily and ran off, but not before Kenichi could shout, "I'm Kenichi! I'll see you again!"

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Well, that's that. I'll get on the next chapter right away. Peace out (I'm so gangster).


	4. Fade to White

I am back with a new chapter? What? I hope you enjoy the small piece of plot. It's not much but it's essential and I hope to be working on the rest of the story during this summer. It'd be a shame to have it go to waste, afterall.

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I hate it here.

I hate it everywhere. It's so dark and dreary. Like me? No. I am fiery and angry. Or am I frightened and small. I honestly don't know. In fact, who is "I"? What am I now that I've lost everything? Or rather I realize that I had nothing to begin with. My name is Azula and I am the princess of the Fire Nation. Or I was until I was defeated and crushed by my darling little Zuzu and his water tribe bimbo, Katara. Well, that's what dealt the final blow. I had been built by my grandfather, Azulon and formed by my father, Ozai. And the two traitors, Mei and Ty Lee began to chip away at that. With their betrayal and my newfound authority as Fire Lady, I eroded myself away until those two Avatar loving bastards came to crush me. And what was left after that? Nothing. Nothing but a poor girl left in ruin. In despair.

I am currently locked up in the most terrifying place I could be. It's not where Uncle was locked up before and it's not the Boiling Rock. I've been locked up in somewhere deeper and darker than a prison. Hell. That's what we've come to call it. It's official name is Divine Wrath. I've been locked away here for everything I've done to the world. I was much more of a threat than father since he couldn't firebend any more. They knew I was cunning. They knew I was terrible. They knew I was a threat. And now that I'm broken, I am nothing more than a beast. Divine Wrath is located in an underwater cavern located a few kilometers northwest of the fire nation. Zuzu had nothing to do with locking me up here. Not even that water tribe harpy or the monk. It was the Dai Li. They informed the powers of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation in subtle secret of my terror. They slipped in hints and rumors until I was so much a threat that I was put here without permission from Zuzu or the Earth King. And now I spend my lonely days crying in silence and in noise, trying to see if anyone on this forsaken land has a sense of pity. I hate it here.

What is this? I feel something strange in the air. I can't see because there isn't any light in the cell. Wait, I can see a shimmer of light from the iron door…it's probably the guard. I hope he doesn't come in here to beat me again. I hope he doesn't. But the door swings open and I'm met face to face with this beautiful being. I can't see it well but I simply know it's beautiful. It is engulfed in light. It says, "Azula. Azula, awaken from your nightmare."

"Who are you? What do you want with me you bastard!" It doesn't seem fazed by the hostility. It simply repeats, "Azula, awaken from your nightmare."

"I _am _awake! Can't you see that!"

"Nay, you are not. You continue to suffer in agony. I will awaken you, Azula." I've never been more afraid in my entire life. I am filled with fear to what is about to happen to me and as well as a sense of longing. Longing for something better. The figure casts its hand over me and I feel everything fade, not to black, but to white.

* * *

Not much but I'll work on the later chapters to be more rich and thick in content. New chapter is cause for celebration though :)


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